Let Them Know It's Christmastime
by Jessica12357
Summary: An early Christmas fic. Jessica's life is changed on a trip to the Frosty Mart, where she meets an unfortunate little orphan boy named Retchy. Not everyone is as lucky at Christmastime as she assumed. Title comes from the U2 holiday song "Feed the World."


Another attempt at a FBACC fanfic. I'll more than likely complete this one, though. I'm sorry it's a few months early to be writing about Christmas, but I had it in my heart to write this one after seeing "Get You Next Time."

I've been meaning to write something with Professor Flan since I've seen virtually NO fanfics on here with him. I have an unexplainable soft spot for him. (DON'T JUDGE ME.)

Also, I've made this headcanon where Icemas is a completely different holiday from Christmas. The Icemas is Manarctica related, where as Christmas focuses more on the family traditions and such. Both have gift giving, which is why there's only one gift at Icemas from Manarctica. The rest come at Christmas.

_Fanboy and Chum Chum_ and its characters, logos, places, etc. are owned by Eric Robles, Viacom, Frederator Studios, Nickelodeon, and any other respective owners. Tessa and Devon are owned by ComicKazi13.

...

" 'Tis the winter of my discontent..." Devon recited bitterly, shoving her hands into her pockets to keep from freezing.

"Aww Devon, but it's winter!" Jessica grinned. "How can you NOT love it? I mean, look at all this bee-autiful snow!" It was December in Galaxy Hills once again. Devon, and Jessica were walking downtown for an after school treat to hold them off until Tessa got off from ballet practice. The snow was gently falling and piling on the sidewalk in white clumps. The sky was gray, and the winds blowing made the temperature colder than it already was.

Their outfits suggested the freezing climate as well. Devon was wearing a red and white toboggan, a green fleece coat, jeans, and hiking boots. Jessica had on white earmuffs,a white vest thrown over a red turtleneck, black pants, her leather winter boots, and fingerless gloves.

"It's not the weather," the bookworm sighed. "It's going to be right at Christmas time until Sigmund's Calgary tour ends." She raised her hands in the air and made exaggerated gestures of grandeur. "_Dazzle the Halls Christmas Spectacular!" _Her tone was almost mocking, even more so if she wasn't talking about her boyfriend.

"Aww, I'm sorry," her friend apologized. "I'm sure he's thinking about you every day. We'll be having Christmas dinner at Kyle's, and the week before THAT we'll get a super 'cool' present from Manarctica. Maybe you'll finally that calligraphy set you've been wanting!" It was hard to stay glum with Jessica's optimism.

"Good points. I just don't know if I can wait that long..."

"Has he at least written you something?" Devon reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a white letter, slightly crumbled. It read:

_My Dearest Devon,_

_I'm terribly sorry that I won't get to see you until the last minute. I know I've been booked since November, but a day hasn't passed when I haven't longed to see your face, to run my fingers through your soft ivy hair. _

_I'm going to freeze my _Hintern_ up here in Canada. The only thing colder than the severe weather is my heart right now. It's empty without your presence, my precious. It won't warm until we reunite on Christmas Eve at the Constipator's house._

_In the mean time, I shall search for something extremely special for you, Devon. I can't decide what yet. It needs to be something you don't already own, and something that's not too cheesy. I want nothing but the best for you._

_Please don't be sore at my absence. I will make it up to you when this is all over._

_Your sorcerer forever,_

_Sigmund_

_P.S. About the Constipator thing...don't tell Jessica I said that._

"Aww, that's so sweet!" Jessica gushed. She actually had laughed a little at the Constipator part; she knew Kyle wouldn't be as forgiving.

"I've been meaning to write back, but that essay Mr. Mufflin assigned us has been occupying me lately," said Devon. "I wouldn't be surprised if he gave us a book report to do over Christmas break."

"Probably," the brunette shrugged, "but hey, what are you gonna do?" They arrived at the Frosty Mart, and the doors automatically slid open with a welcoming jingle. The convenience store's atmosphere was not much different than the temperature outside. The Chimp Chomp machine chattered and beeped as Boog pressed the buttons on it violently, while Lenny was no where in sight.

"Hey, Booger," Devon called, "where's your assistant manager?"

"How should I know?" Boog sneered, not looking from his game. "Said somethin' 'bout keepin' his tush from freezin' off in the back. Ain't nothin' keeping me from beating the high score, I said." To protect himself from the cold, Boog had gloves and a black parka over his uniform.

"But the high scores all YOURS," said Jessica, rolling her eyes. Boog laughed obnoxiously.

"I know. Gotta keep my Pro Chomper status alive and kickin', sweetheart."

"Hey! No one calls me sweetheart but Kyle!" she fumed.

"Easy, Jessica," Devon warned. "You're getting hot under the collar."

"I wish. Then some part of me would actually be _warm._" It wasn't like Boog could do anything about her pulling the cord or whatever. She totally owned him the last year when it snowed in Galaxy Hills, and even though the insults were still frequent, it reduced his bopping. (He didn't bop her closest friends, at least.)

"Let's see if we can find Lenny," her friend suggested. "Boog sure isn't going to take a break to run the cash register." The girls went to the storage closet in the back. They could hear someone faintly breathing on the other side, accompanied by an occasional chatter of teeth. Jessica opened the door.

Lenny was sitting on bags of chips, huddled around a small space heater as if it was his sole life source. "I take it you don't like the cold, Leonard?" Devon joked. He jumped at the sound of her voice; apparently he didn't hear the door open.

"Aww, give me a break," he groaned. "It's colder in that store than it is outdoors! EVERYTHING about me is freezing! Look!" To prove his point, he tore off a chunk of his hair that had become frozen solid. Jessica and Devon winced. "Squirting spicy mustard down my shirt didn't help, so I've camped out by this heater for an hour."

"Well, I believe an old adage says that the customer is always right," Jessica answerd matter-of-factly. "It won't take long for us to make our purchases, then you can go back to your precious heater."

"Alright," sighed Lenny. The assistant manager reluctantly left his warm storage haven and stood behind the cash register. "Lemme guess: Frosty Freezy Freeze?"

"UGH, how could your drink one of those in this weather?" Devon wrinkled her nose at the thought. Clearly, Fanboy and Chum Chum came to mind, but it was so obvious none of them dared saying it.

"Do you any have packs of hot cocoa?" asked Jessica. "Preferably the kind with the little marshmallows?"

"Aisle 3," Lenny replied in an unenthusiastic tone. Devon picked out a box of her favorite candy and a small bag of rippled chips in the adjacent aisle. Suddenly, something in Jessica's pocket began to ring. She whipped a crystal sphere out of her pocket, similar to a mini crystal ball. Kyle's face popped up on the screen.

"Hello darling," the wizard greeted, smiling that sweet braced smile she loved. "I regret I couldn't join you and Devon on this lovely Tuesday, but it's a tad too chilly for my preference today."

"Oh hi, Kyle," grinned Jessica. "It's alright. I'll stop by your place after Tessa's. Can I get you anything while I'm here at the Frosty Mart?"

"No, thank you. I have a warm cup of tea to soothe my senses." He sipped it with his free hand, then continued, "The reason I called is to talk to you about something."

"Oh? What is it?"

"We're all gathering at my home for Christmas Eve dinner, correct?"

"That's we agreed on," his girlfriend nodded. "Seven o' clock." She titled her head curiously. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, no, of course not," the red head said quickly. "Not for you, anyways." Kyle hesitated for a moment. "You remember Professor Flan from Milkweed, don't you?" Something about hearing his professor's name triggered a happy feeling inside Jessica.

"Ooooh yes!" She sighed dreamily. "How long has it been? He's so sweet."

"Many months," Kyle responded, getting a bit jealous at her admiration of his former teacher. "Keep in mind, he's sweet to YOU. He's still having trust issues with me."

"Well, he's a gentleman. He's probably sweet to all the ladies. Besides, I'm not the one who turned him into a walking dessert." Kyle looked a bit hurt. "Oh my gosh! Kyle, I didn't mean for it to sound like that. I-"

"It's fine," he sighed. "It's true. I suppose I get what I deserve." Kyle shook off his misery and resumed his composure. "Anyways, I just contacted him. Milkweed lets out for Christmas Break at the same time as our school, and as fortune would have it, he's able to join us for Christmas Eve."

"Oh, sweet!" exclaimed Jessica. "Wait a minute...Kyle, are you being overly generous or are you just trying to butter him up?" Kyle twirled a red hair timidly.

"A little of both," the Brit confessed.

"Kyle, you adorable little suck up," she giggled. "Well, I have to-"

"NO! Not again! I've told you before you CAN'T come in here!" Jessica turned her attention to Lenny, who had his Extenda-Broom out, trying to sweep away something she couldn't see over the counters.

"Hang on, Kyle. I'll have to talk to you later." Jessica hung her palantir up and looked at the commotion going on. Lenny was trying to shoo a small boy out the Frosty Mart doors.

"Please, sir!" the little boy begged. "Don't do this to me! I-I won't be a bother at all! All I ask is for somethin' to warm me frozen little body up!" The boy was no older than seven or eight, and his clothes were dirty and worn. His accent was indubtiably Cockney, and the red locks underneath his newsboy cap reminded Jessica of Kyle.

"We've talked about this," Lenny frowned. "You're lucky we don't shoo you away for soliciting outside! It's against store policy to have you in here." The boy looked around in a panic for some way to save himself. He saw Jessica watching them and clinged to her leg.

"Please don't let 'em do this to me!" he pleaded. "I can't survive out there!" He looked up at Jessica with the most pitiful expression. Her heart broke.

"Boog, help me here!" Lenny ordered. The game was over and Boog was out of quarters, so he grunted and removed the boy from Jessica's limb before she could act.

"Time for you to go, Little Man," Boog said. "Have fun in your little winter wonderland!" With a laugh, he slingshot the boy out into the snow.

"What was that?!" Jessica demanded. "Why didn't you at least give him something?"

"Look, he's homeless," Lenny told her sternly. "It's a sign of trouble for ANY business. What would YOU do?"

"Like I said, I would at least GIVE him something." All the friendliness was drained out of Jessica's tone as she said this.

"Then he'd just come back!" shouted Lenny. "I don't make the rules here, okay? It's my duty as assistant manager to maintain order."

"Yeah, like letting your employee be the boss of you is order," scoffed Devon.

"Just make your purchases and go," he sighed. "It's your fault if my heater di-OWW!" Jessica flung the hot cocoa packs at Lenny's face HARD and ran out of the store. "HEY!"

"Jessica, where are you going?" Devon cried. She didn't answer. Instead, she looked all around for the small boy. His imprint from his landing in the snow was there, but the boy himself was nowhere to be seen. Jessica stood there for a moment, not sure what to do with her dilemma. Devon caught up with her.

"I don't understand, Devon. Where could he have gone?" Jessica asked.

"I don't know, but you're lucky if you don't get banned from the Frosty Mart for assaulting Lenny like that."

"He deserves it," she snapped. "How could he be so cruel?!"

"JESSICA, get a grip!" Devon grabbed her friend by the shoulders. "I care about the less well off as much as the next person, but Lenny has a point. What if all businesses just let them wander around the store? Not every one of them are as kind as the boy. Some go to drastic measures, like stealing-"

"Not all of them," replied Jessica. "I'm sure somewhere out there there's one with a heart, like that little boy." She looked at the imprint that was slowly disappearing from the snow covering it up like camouflage. "I guess I'll never know..."


End file.
